Flexible mobile receptacle



Oct. 16, 1951 B. F. GRIFFITH FLEXIBLE MOBILE RECEPTACLE- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 21, 1950 Attorney Oct. 16, 1951 B. F. GRIFFITH 2,571,442

FLEXIBLE MOBILE RECEPTACLE Filed June 21, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PM I 47 Q I I I I I Inventor Allvrney Patented Oct. 16, 1951 UNITED STATES; PATENT OFFICE 2,571,442 FLEXIBLE MOBILE RECEPTACLE Benjamin F. Griffith, Wheeling, W. Va. Application June 21, 1950 Serial No. 169,427 7 8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a flexible receptacle provided with a mobile support and means for retaining said receptacle in an extended position on said mobile support when in use for carrying small articles such as groceries or the like.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a flexible receptacle having a mobile support and which is capable of being turned inside out for enclosing the support therein when not in use and so that the receptacle can be manually carried in a compact condition.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a receptacle of extremely simple construction, which is light in weight and may be economically manufactured yet which will be extremely durable and efficient for accomplishing its intended results.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully ap parent from the following description of the drawings, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing the invention in an extended, operative position;

Figure 2 is a front end elevational view thereof -looking from right to left of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the same;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view thereof;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view on a somewhat enlarged scale showing the flexible receptacle turned inside out;

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view thereof taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 66 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is an end elevational view looking from right to left of Figure 5 and showing the flexible receptacle disposed in a closed position around the mobile support,and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the forward end of the frame of the mobile support.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the flexible mobile receptacle in its entirety is designated generally Ill and includes a flexible receptacle portion, designated generally II, which may be formed of any suitable 'material preferably a fabric and which may constitute a conventional fabric shopping bag of substan tially rectangular cross section. The bag II is provided with the usual open upper end l2 and at each side thereof is provided with a carrying handle l3 which is stitched or otherwise secured thereto but which differs from a conventional carrying handle in that the carrying handles l3 are stitched or otherwise secured attheir ends to the inner sides of the side walls I4 of the shopping bag I I rather than to the outer side thereof. The flexible receptacle H is also modified in that a flexible strap member I5 is secured thereto adjacent each of its four corners at its open upper end by stitching or in any other suitable manner and each of said straps l5 pivotally attaches a ring [6 to the outer side of the receptacle II. The side walls I4 adjacent their upper corners and on their inner sides are provided with separable snap fastener sections l1 and intermediate of their ends and adjacent their upper edges, the side walls M are each provided with a separable snap fastener section I8 which is connected to the outer side thereof.

A mobile support, designated generally I9, includes an openwork metal wire platform comprising a rectangular frame 2| of substantially the same size and shape as the bottom 22 of the fabric receptacle ll. Said bottom 22 is secured to the frame 2| by stitching 23 or in any other suitable manner. The platform 20 also includes a plurality of transversely extending cross braces or slats 24 the ends of which are looped and clamped or otherwise secured as seen at 25 to the longitudinal frame portions.

Two strands of wire are provided intermediate of their ends each with a loop 26 and the terminal portions of said strands, designated 21, extend upwardly in diverging relationship from the loops 26 and are looped and clamped or otherwise secured at their terminals 28 to two of the cross braces 24 which are located adjacent one end of the frame 2| and so that the loops 2'6 will be disposed beneath the platform 20 and in transverse alignment to provide supports for an axle 29 which extends therethrough. A wheel 30'is journaled on each end of the axle 29 and outwardly of the adjacent loop 26, said wheels 30 providing the mobile support of the receptacle II and platform 20.

Two strands of wire 3| are disposed longitudinally of the platform 20 adjacent the end thereof remote to the wheels 30, each of said strands being secured to one end portion of the frame 2| and to the adjacent cross brace 24. The strands 3| are looped to provide corresponding transversely aligned downwardly projecting eyes 32. A tongue 33, preferably formed of a single strand of wire has an intermediate portion bent to provide a handle 34. The end portions of the strand extend from the handle 34 to form the tongue and the terminals of the strand portions forming the tongue are turned outwardly as seeirat 35 and extend outwardly through and 3 are journaled in the eyes 32 for swingably mounting the tongue on the under side of the platform 20. A hook 36 has a shank portion 31 of which the hook 36 forms one terminal and the other terminal of said shank forms an eye 38 which is swingably connected to one of the strands 3|.

The hook 36 detachably engages the frame end to which the strands 3| are connected and so that the shank 31 extends across the outer or underside of the tongue 33 for maintaining the tongue in an operative position and so that it projects outwardly and upwardly from the front end 44 of the platform 20, as seen in Figures 1 and 2. By disengaging the hook 36 from said frame end, the hook shank 31 may be swung out of engagement with the tongue 33 so that the tongue may be swung in its journals 32 to an inoperative position beneath the platform 20, as illustrated in Figure 6 and in dotted lines in Figures and 7. The operative position of the tongue 33 is best illustrated in Figure 8.

A yoke-like brace 39 rises from each corner of the frame 21 and has its terminals suitably secured to the frame adjacent said corner. A

supporting standard 40 rises from each corner upright positions with respect to one another and accordingly cooperate with said standards to retain the receptacle or shopping bag .II in an extended open position as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The bag H is sufliciently flexible and the rings I6 .have sufficient play so that said rings may be readily disengaged from the bifurcated standard portions to enable the standards '40 to be swung downwardly and inwardly to positions beneath and substantially against the underside of in Figure 6.

Assuming that the receptacle or bag I I is supported in an extended position as previously described, and as illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, it will be readily apparent that various articles may be contained therein and conveyed by pulling the receptacle ID by the tongue handle 34, the majority of the weight of the contents of the bag H being supported by the wheels 30, similar to a two wheeled cart. When not being pulled, the r forward end 44 may be permitted to swing downwardly to'rest on the supporting surface 43 of the wheels to retain the flexible mobile receptacle 1'0 against casual movement. When the receptacle I0 is not in use it may be conveniently carried or stored in a more compact manner by disengaging the hook 36 so that the tongue 33 may be swung to its folded position of Figure 6 and disengaging the standards from the rings t6, so that said standards may likewise be disposed beneath the platform 20. The bag or flexible receptacle l I may then be turned inside out and the open top thereof closed by engagement of the separable snap fasteners l1 and I8, as illustrated in full lines in Figure 7, for enclosing the mobile support or cart therein and the complete unit may then be carried by the two handles 13 which will then be exposed.

Obviously, the flexible mobile receptacle I0 may hemade invarious sizes and various other modithe platform 20, as illustrated fications and changes are likewise contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A mobile receptacle comprising a cart including a platform and ground engaging wheels journaled therebeneath, supporting standards swingably connected to the corners of the platform, a flexible receptacle having a closed bottom and an open top, Said closed bottom being disposed on and secured to the platform, and means loosely connected to the receptacle adjacent the corners of the open top and detachably engaging the upper ends of said standards to combine therewith to support the receptacle in substantially an upright, extended position, said receptacle bottom being longer and wider than the platform, said standards being swingable from upright positions relatively to the platform outwardly and downwardly to inoperative positions beneath the platform, and brace members rigidly connected to and rising from the platform and disposed to engage the standards when the latter are in upright positions to prevent the standards from swinging inwardly of one another beyond upright positions for maintaining the receptacle in an extended, open position, said brace members cooperating with the flexible receptacle to support the standards in upright positions.

2. A mobile receptacle comprising a cart including a platform and ground engaging wheels journaled therebeneath, supporting standards swingably connected to the corners of the platform, a flexible receptacle having a closed bottom and an open top, said closed bottom being disposed on and secured to the platform, and means loosely connected to the receptacle adjacent the corners of the open top and detachably engaging the upper ends of said standards to combine therewith to support the receptacle in substantially an upright, extended position, said receptacle bottom being longer and wider than the platform, said ground engaging wheels including a single pair of wheels disposed in transverse alignment beneath the platform and adjacent one end thereof, and a tongue pivotally connected to the cart beneath said platform and adjacent its opposite end and extending outwardly and upwardly from the last mentioned, front end of the cart when in an operative position and being disposed beneath the platform when in an inoperative position.

3. A mobile receptacle comprising a cart including a platform and ground engaging wheels journal'ed therebeneath, supporting standards swingably connected to the corners of the platform, a flexible receptacle having a closed bottom and an open top, said closed bottom bein disposed on and secured to the platform, and means loosely connected to the receptacle adjacent the corners of the open top and detachably engaging the upper ends of said standards to combine therewith to support the receptacle in substantially an upright, extended position, said ground engaging wheels including a single pair of wheels disposed in transverse alignment beneath the platform and adjacent one end thereof, and a tongue pivotally connected to the cart beneath said platform and adjacent its opposite end and extending outwardly and upwardly from the last mentioned, front end of the cart when in an operative position and being disposed beneath the platform when in an inoperative position, said flexible receptacle being reversible when the tongue and standards are in inoperative positions for enclosing the cart, including the tongue and standards within the flexible receptacle, and the open end of said flexible receptacle having handles for carrying the receptacle in an inverted position and with the cart contained therein.

4. A mobile receptacle comprising a cart including a platform and ground engaging wheels journaled therebeneath, supporting standards swingably connected to the corners of the platform, a flexible receptacle having a closed bottom and an open top, said closed bottom being disposed on and secured to the platform, and means loosely connected to the receptacle adjacent the corners of the open top and detachably engaging the upper ends of said standards to combine therewith to support the receptacle in substantially an upright, extended position, said ground engaging wheels including a single pair of wheels disposed in transverse alignment beneath the platform and adjacent one end thereof, and a tongue pivotally connected to the cart beneath said platform and adjacent its opposite end and extending outwardly and upwardly from the last mentioned, front end of the cart when in an operative position and being disposed beneath the platform when in an inoperative position, said flexible receptacle being reversible when the tongue and standards are in inoperative positions for enclosing the cart, including the tongue and standards within the flexible receptacle, the open end of said flexible receptacle having handles for carrying the receptacle in an inverted position and with the cart contained therein, and separable snap fastening means for closing the open top of the flexible receptacle around the cart.

5. A mobile receptacle comprising a cart including a platform and ground engaging wheels journaled therebeneath, supporting standards swingably connected to the corners of the platform, a flexible receptacle having a closed bottom and an open top, said closed bottom being disposed on and secured to the platform, and means loosely connected to the receptacle adjacent the corners of the open top and detachably engaging the upper ends of said standards to combine therewith to support the receptacle in substantially an upright, extended position, said ground engaging wheels including a single pair of wheels disposed in transverse alignment beneath the platform and adjacent one end thereof, and a tongue pivotally connected to the cart beneath said platform and adjacent its opposite end and extending outwardly and upwardly from the last mentioned, front end of the cart when in an operative position and being disposed beneath the platform when in an inoperative position, and a latch hook having one end swingably mounted on a portion of the platform and an opposite end detachably engaging another portion of said platform and engaging and retaining the tongue in its first mentioned, operative position.

6. A mobile carrier comprising a cart including an elongated platform, a pair of surface engaging wheels disposed in transverse alignment relatively to said platform and journaled therebeneath and adjacent one end thereof, a tongue swingably connected to said platform adjacent its opposite end and swingable between an inoperative position beneath the platform and an extended position outwardly of said platform end, a flexible open top receptacle having a bottom disposed on and secured to said platform, a plurality of rings loosely connected to said receptacle adjacent its open top, a plurality of standards pivotally connected to the platform and swingable from inoperative positions beneath the platform to extended, upright positions relatively to the platform, said rings detachably engaging the upper, free ends of the standards when the latter are in upright positions, and brace means fixed to the platform and engaging the standards to prevent the standards from swinging inwardly beyond upright positions for supporting the flexible receptacle in an open extended position.

7. A mobile carrier as in claim 6, and latch means connected to the platform and detachably engaging the tongue for releasably retaining the tongue in its last mentioned, operative position.

8. A mobile carrier as in claim 6, said flexible receptacle being reversible whereby the cart including the tongue and standards will be positioned within the receptacle, and handles projecting from the open end of said receptacle for carrying the receptacle with the cart disposed therein.

BENJAMIN F. GRIFFITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,328,826 Eberle Jan. 27, 1920 1,361,698 Eble Dec. 7, 1920 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 145,562 Austria May 11, 1936 

